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Monday, 12 December 2016

405) Exotic Birds: A set of six Maxim Cards issued by the Department of Posts, India on 05.12.2016:

405) Exotic Birds: A set of six
Maxim Cards issued by the Department of Posts, India on 05.12.2016:

-
The stamp which is affixed on the picture side/face or the front of the
postcard.

-
The Cancellation should ideally be related to the picture on the Front of the
Card

(The objective is to collect a card where the stamp
and picture are in close concordance with each other, as well as, with the
Cancellation. If all the three elements are concordant, then this post
card would qualify as a “Maximum (Concordance) Card”.

-
Preferably, the image on the post-card should not be simply an enlargement of
the image on the stamp. However, some exceptions are allowed. For example a
work of art like a painting (not a detail of it) which is often depicted in its
entirety both on the post-card and the stamp is acceptable.

In other words, all three elements are chosen in a
manner, so as to exhibit a “maximum concordance” with one another. They are
required to be complimentary to one another in every philatelic aspect and
should together represent the theme as a whole.

Some other features of Maximum
Cards:

-
Only square and rectangular formats of picture postcards are allowed.

-
The picture post-cards may be black and white or coloured and use at least 75 %
space of the total area for illustration.

-
Postcards/stamps with Postage Due, pre-cancelled, fiscals, and stamps not in
conformity with the Code/guidelines set by the UPU would not qualify as Maximum
Cards.

-
Importantly, only one Stamp is to be normally affixed. In cases where multiple,
secondary or partial subjects are there, then each subject should be dealt with
separately.

-
The Picture Post Card should preferably be on sale before the issue date of the
stamp.

-
A picture post-card to qualify as a Maximum Card should have a direct visual
and not an imaginary concordance with the subject matter on the stamp.

-
The maximum size of the Post-card should be 105 mm x 148 mm (or 10.5 cm x 14.8
cm) and the minimum size should be 90 x 140 mm (or 9.00cm x 14.00 cm). In some
cases, post cards issued prior to 1940 may be of smaller sizes. Likewise, in
some cases post cards which measure 120 mm x 170 mm (or 12.00 cm or 170 cm)
have also been accepted as Maximum Cards.

-
Post-cards with multiple pictures or holograms do not qualify.

Maximaphily:

“Maximaphily” is a stream of Philately
which deals with the study and creation of Maximum Cards”.

This hobby is positioned at the intersection of Philately
and Deltiology (the study of post-cards).

Maximaphily became an organised stream of Philately
after World War II. Prior to this Maximum Cards were created by collectors
mostly as a novelty. Maximaphily is closely associated with thematic or topical
stamp collecting.

The evolution of Maximum Cards:

The first Maximum Cards date back to the early
20th Century and generally depicted the portrait of a monarch,
affixed with a stamp bearing a similar portrait and cancelled. These were
issued on important dates like the monarch’s coronation anniversary, birthday,
or silver or diamond jubilee celebrations of ascension to the throne, or for an
important conquest/victory etc.

By the 1920s and 1930s, collectors began to
develop interest in pictorial stamps of famous churches, castles, forts etc
which appeared on the stamps and had them cancelled in the cities where these buildings
were located. These post-cards became a kind of souvenir collection for
travellers/tourists going for a holiday to important tourist places/cities as a
memento of their travels/trips. As time went by, the hobby of collecting these
post cards acquired the name “Maximaphily”.

A set of 6 Maxim
or Maximum Cards issued by the Department of posts, India to commemorate six
Exotic Birds on 05.12.2016:

The Cover of the jacket containing the six Maxim
cards – three each on either side

This Maxim card shows a picture of a Cape Parrot
taking off in flight from its perch on a tree-top. The 500 Paise or Rs. 5/-
Stamp shows a sideways image of the Cape Parrot in flight. The
Cancellation Hand-stamp is inscribed “Videshi Pakshi” (in Hindi) and “Exotic
Birds” (in English) and show two exotic birds in its centre. The Cancellation
is of New Delhi GPO and is dated “05.12.2016”

i)
Cape Parrot (Poicephalus robustus):

The Cape Parrot (also
known as Levaillant’s Parrot) is a large, temperate forest dwelling Parrot
endemic to South Africa. It is a short-tailed moderately large bird with a very
large beak, which is used to crack open all sorts of hard nuts and fruit kernels.

There is no uniform view
on the classification of this species due to the existence of their
geographically separated but closely related forms that differ in habitat, size
and plumage. The overall dominant view of the Ornithological community considers
them as two separate species, with the temperate forest dwelling Cape Parrot
being distinct from the Savannah species in which is also included the brown
necked Parrot of West Africa and the grey headed Parrot of Eastern and Southern
Africa. Nevertheless, the Birdlife International taxonomic check-list considers
all three forms as the sub-species of a single species – Poicephalus robustus.

The Cape Parrot occurs
only in South Africa and is closely associated with yellowwood forests. The
Yellowwood trees are important to them for breeding, feeding and social
inter-action. The species is a secondary cavity nests preferring one, nesting
mostly in tall dead Yellowwood trees.

While
the ultimate threat to this species is habitat loss through the degradation and
reduction in Afro-montane Southern Mistbelt Forest, the more recent but
significant threats are – i) infection and mortality caused by Psittacine beak
and feather disease and ii) local poaching and trade.

This Maxim card shows a picture of three Hyacinth
Macaws perched on a tree-branch. The 1000 Paise or Rs. 10/- Stamp shows a
sideways image of a Hyacinth Macaw in flight. The
Cancellation Hand-stamp is inscribed “Videshi Pakshi” (in Hindi) and “Exotic
Birds” (in English) and show two exotic birds in its centre. The Cancellation
is of New Delhi GPO and is dated “05.12.2016”

(ii) Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus
hyacinthinus):

Hyacinth Macaw or
Hyacinthine Macaw is a parrot native to Central and Eastern South America. With
a length of about 100 cm, it is longer than any other species of parrot. It is
the largest Macaw and the largest flying parrot species.

Also known as gentle giants,
Hyacinths are considered to be very affectionate birds by nature. Its feathers
are entirely blue, lighter above with a long and pointed tail. This species can
be confused with the far rarer and smaller Lear’s Macaw.

Hyacinth Macaws prefer
palm swamps, woodlands and other semi-open, wooded habitats. They usually avoid
dense, humid forests and are generally restricted to the edge or relatively
open forests. In different areas of their range, these parrots are found in
Savannah grasslands, in dry thorn forests known as caatinga and in palm
strands. They are seen flying in pairs and feed on the hard nuts of several
varieties of palm nuts. These nuts are often extremely hard and difficult to
break open but are easily crushed by their powerful beaks.

Nesting takes place
between July and December, when the nests are assembled in tree cavities or
cliff faces depending on the habitat.

Habitat loss and trapping
of birds in the wild for pet trade has taken a heavy toll on their wild
population. The unique personality and
beauty of this species has made it one of the most sought after – and also one
of the most abused of all parrots.

To
provide full protection, it is classified as “Vulnerable” on the International
Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List and its global trade is
controlled by listing it on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

This Maxim card shows a picture of a Lesser
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo perched on a tree-trunk facing right. The 1500 Paise
or Rs. 15/- Stamp shows a sideways image of a Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo seated
on a tree-trunk facing left. The Cancellation
Hand-stamp is inscribed “Videshi Pakshi” (in Hindi) and “Exotic Birds” (in
English) and show two exotic birds in its centre. The Cancellation is of New
Delhi GPO and is dated “05.12.2016”

(iii)Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Catatua
sulphurea sulphurea):

Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
is also known as the Yellow-crested Cockatoo. It is found in wooded and
cultivated areas of East Timor and Indonesia’s Islands of Sulawesi and the
Lesser Sundas.

The
Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is a critically endangered species. Its numbers
have declined drastically due to illegal trapping for the cage-bird trade. They
are listed on Appendix I on CITES.

It is a medium-sized
Cockatoo with white plumage, bluish-white bare orbital skin, grey feet, black
bill and a retractile yellow or orange crest. The Lesser Sulphur-crested
Cockatoo nests in tree cavities. Their
wild population is declining due to habitat destruction and trade.

There are 6 sub-species of
the Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. The most well known sub-species is a
Citron crested Cockatoo. This sub-species has an orange coloured crest, instead
of a yellow one. It is found only on the islands of Sunda. Other species are
found on the islands of Indonesia.

Lesser Sulphur-crested
Cockatoo can be easily confused with the larger and more commonly found
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, which has a more Easterly distribution and can be
distinguished by the size and presence of a large yellow ear patch in the
Lesser-crested Cockatoo.

This Maxim card shows a picture of two Blue-Throated
Macaws facing right. The 500 Paise or Rs. 5/- Stamp shows a front facing
image of a seated Blue-throated Macaw on a perch. The
Cancellation Hand-stamp is inscribed “Videshi Pakshi” (in Hindi) and “Exotic
Birds” (in English) and show two exotic birds in its centre. The Cancellation
is of New Delhi GPO and is dated “05.12.2016”

(iv)Blue-throated
Macaw (Ara glaucogularis):

The Blue-throated Macaw
also known as Caninde Macaw is a
species endemic to a small area of North-Central Bolivia, known as Los Llanos
de Moxos. Blue-throated Macaws live in the Savannah forests and is one
of the rarest parrots in the World.

Recent population surveys
for this species estimates that about 350 – 400 individuals remain in the wild.

It
is listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural
Resources (IUCN)’s Red List as Critically Endangered. It is also listed in the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), an
International Treaty that controls International Trade.

The Blue-throated Macaws have
largely bright yellow under-parts with pale blue vent. Upper-parts are
turquoise-blue, slightly duller on crown and brighter on rump. They have a bare
facial patch obscured by blue feather-lines merging into blue lower cheek and
throat, separated from the crown by a narrow yellow stripe and bare pink skin
around the base of the large, black bill. On the face, there is a sparsely
leathered patch of skin near the base of the large-dark-coloured bill that has
five or six horizontal stripes of blue feathers which are unique for every
Blue-throated Macaw and can be used to individually identify adults.

This species can be
differentiated from the slightly larger Blue and Yellow Macaw by their blue
throat – the blue Crown and the lack of contrast between the remiges and
upper-wing coverts.

This Maxim card shows a picture of a Sun Conure.
The 1000 Paise or Rs. 10/- Stamp shows a sideways image of a seated Sun Conure
facing right. The Cancellation Hand-stamp is
inscribed “Videshi Pakshi” (in Hindi) and “Exotic Birds” (in English) and show
two exotic birds in its centre. The Cancellation is of New Delhi GPO and is
dated “05.12.2016”

(v) Sun Conure (Aratinga
solstitialis):

Sun Conure, also known as “Sun
Parakeet” is a medium-sized, brightly coloured Parrot, native to North-eastern
South America. The adult male and female are similar in appearance, with
predominantly golden-yellow plumage and orange-flushed under-parts and face.
Sun Conures are very social birds, typically living in flocks. They form
monogamous pairs and nest in palm tree cavities. This species is currently
threatened by loss of habitat and trapping for the pet trade and listed as
endangered by the IUCN. Sun Conures are popular as pets because of their bright
colouration and curious nature. They are commonly bred in avi-culture and can
live upto 30 years.

Sun Conures are mostly
found in tropical habitats occurring within dry Savannah woodlands and coastal
forests in altitudes less than 1,200 metres, on edge of humid forests growing
in foothills. Like other members of the genus Aratinga, the Sun Conure is very
social and typically occurs in large flocks of 20 to 30 individuals.

Sun Conures have a rich
yellow crown, nape, mantle, lesser wing-coverts, tips of the greater
wing-coverts, chest and under-wing coverts. The face and belly are orange with
red around the ears. The base of the greater wing-coverts, tertials and base of
the primaries are green, while the secondaries, tips of the primaries and most
of the primary coverts are dark blue. The tail is olive-green with a blue tip.
From below, all the flight feathers are dark greyish. The bill is black.
Juvenile Sun Parakeets display a predominantly green plumage and resemble
similar-aged sulphur-breasted parakeets. The distinctive yellow, orange and
reddish colouration on the back, abdomen and the head is attained with
maturity.

This Maxim card shows a picture of a Magnum
Amazon. The 1500 Paise or Rs. 15/- Stamp shows a sideways image of a seated
Sun Conure facing left. The Cancellation Hand-stamp is
inscribed “Videshi Pakshi” (in Hindi) and “Exotic Birds” (in English) and show
two exotic birds in its centre. The Cancellation is of New Delhi GPO and is
dated “05.12.2016”

(vi) Yellow-headed Amazon (Amazona
oratrix) or the Magnum Amazon:

The Yellow-headed Amazon
is an endangered parrot of Mexico and Northern Central America. It prefers to
live in mangrove forests or riparian forests near rivers or other water bodies.

This species is famed for
its ability to mimic, both in speech and “song” making it an excellent
“talker”. For centuries, they have been coveted as highly desirable pets
world-wide.

The
popularity of these parrots as a pet continues to encourage trade and trapping
of birds in the wild, which have nearly driven this species to extinction in
the wild. Their population has declined from 70,000 to about 7,000 in the past
two decades alone. The yellow headed Amazon is considered as endangered by IUCN
and is on the CITES Appendix I.

The Yellow-headed Amazon
is a stocky short-tailed green parrot with a yellow head. The immature birds
attain full adult head colour in 5 or more years. As in other Amazon parrots,
this parrot has rounded wings and a square tail with a robust built body. The
body is bright green, with yellow on the head, red at the bend of the wing and
yellow thighs. The flight feathers are blackish to bluish violet with a red
patch on the outer secondaries. The base of the tail also has a red patch,
which is usually hidden. The outer tail feathers have yellowish tips.

These are photos taken by wildlife experts from around the World. Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has co-ordinated on this project. The India Post designers have done an excellent job with this set of Post Cards and my earlier post on "Exotic Birds" stamps.

About Me

I am Rajeev Prasad, a retired State Bank of India officer who had been collecting coins in a shoe box without having a serious interest. Only after quitting my job I got the time to take serious interest in developing my coin collection into a hobby. A pity, because I would have had more opportunity to lay my hands on more 'exclusive coins' while in the Bank. Anyway, as they say,better late than never. If you have any views to share with me regarding this blog , please contact me on my email rajeevprasad1208@gmail.com. I also have a twitter account @prasad_rajeev.
I had an opportunity to participate in a Documentary on the life and times of the 25 paise coin titled “Chal Basi Chavanni” (The four anna/twenty five paise coin passes away), aired by STAR NEWS on 29th and 30th June 2011. The programme helped in making many persons hold back onto their “chavannis”, the little round beauties, instead of returning them to Banks .